Parshat Lech-Lecha Schedule

Weekly Words of Torah

The Tzelem Elokim in us all

Insights into Parshat Lech-Lecha of Benyomin Schofield of Yeshivat Sha’alvim, by Rav Re’uven Ungar of Sha’alvim.

At the beginning of this week’s Sedra, Rashi comments on “lech lecha” that Hashem was telling Avraham “to go for his benefit, and furthermore, for I will make your ‘teva’ (lit. nature) known in the world”. The question arises: how is Avraham’s nature going to be made known in the world? And what exactly is his nature?

There are those who say that his nature is Chessed – Kindness. However, after looking at the only other place where we find the language of “lech lecha”, which is by Akedat Yitzchak, I would like to suggest an alternative approach as to what Avraham’s nature really was.

The “lech lecha” of the Akeda is really a continuation of the “lech lecha” of this week’s Sedra. It is in the parsha of the akeda that we see that Avraham’s nature was really “yir’at E-lokim” – “fear of G-d”. We see this expressed in Chapter 22, Verse 12, “Ki ata yar’eh ki yir’eh E-lokim ata.” – “… for now I know that you are a fearer of G-d…”. Avraham’s true nature was that he feared G-d. And he was able to see and recognize the Tzelem E-lokim – Image of G-d – in every person. This was why his midah (attribute; characteristic) of Chessed was so strong, he was treating people for what they were inside, an Image of G-d. His G-d-fearing nature was the root of his Chessed.

We can learn from this to recognize the Image of G-d in everyone, and treat them as thus. If we do this, we can perhaps better our own individual characteristic of Chessed, live up to our forefather Avraham, and bring Mashiach speedily in our times.